Change to Panthers pre-season plans

French side Lyon have dropped out of the pre-season trip to the UK and as a result THE NOTTINGHAM Panthers will be focusing on games against double-winning Cardiff, and teams from Germany and Norway.

Panthers are looking to start their cup and or league programme on the weekend of September 1st.

The withdrawal of Lyon means Panthers’ final warmup game will be against seven-time Norwegian champions, Stavanger Oilers on Saturday August 25th.

The Norwegian side won the title six years in a row but missed out last season and their trip to the UK is a crucial part of their plans to launch an assault to take back the top prize in one of Europe’s best leagues.

The rest of Panthers’ pre-season fixtures are also unchanged.

The home and away double-header against Cardiff is on the weekend of August 11th and a week later in Nottingham, there’s a home double-header against German opposition with the visits of the DEL 2’s Dresden Eislowen and the DEL’s Fischtown Pinguins on August 18th/19th.